It's so satisfying, once the project's finally done.

My niece Lissa mentioned that since I joined Facebook I've been pretty silent around here. But it wasn't Facebook's fault. (There are days I don't even visit FB, honest!) It was a combination of FIL death and funeral, our schedule going nutso because Blaine (trying to deal with FIL's estate) is almost never home, and a spruce-up-the-living-room project I undertook. That was the fun part. :) And I have pictures! I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. I give you: the new and improved living room and piano room, in befores and afters! Click any picture to go to the stream.









And here are a lot of others I'm not going to bother finding befores for, you can just gander at the afters.



I haven't done much with decorating. I'm an all-or-nothing sort I suppose, and if I don't have the money to do everything I want to do, I don't do anything. So this was just a big, bouncy ball of fun for me, to do all of this at once. I'm all :DDD about my extended living room now.

On being a mother:

I should feel bad about how true this is. Instead, I laugh at my own motherness. :)

MUST...EAT...BURGER...

Burger fans in Northern Utah have reason to celebrate.

Draper City announced today that the owners of In-N-Out Burger have submitted plans to build a restaurant
In-N-Out Burger Coming to Draper

OMgosh. I had no idea I'd have such a crisis of vegetarianism at the mere mention of an In-N-Out being built in my state. :-/

The daily grind in pictures

I've been inspired by one friend's Project 365 pictures. I may not be snapping photos every day (and then again, I might!) but I'm taking them a lot more often thanks to a camera that's always handy and some inspiration. So here are some random photos from my life this week.

Pictures I snapped of the sunrise one recent morning after I'd dropped Emma off at school. Looking south:

West:

North:

East:


Ethan (who was supposed to get dressed, make his bed, and clean his room) playing far away from his room in pajamas.


Kids playing Slap Jack, even Macklin:



Pillow fight in living room, broken picture, stern lecture from mom. "Who needs to get their butt kicked?"


Parents out with friends for the evening, Christian the babysitter asked Macklin where he wanted to sleep. Macklin just pulled up a piece of floor, lay down, and said, "Night, Tristian!"


This morning's bread. I bake 3-6 loaves of wheat bread every day.


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Now playing: Sia - Breathe Me
via FoxyTunes

Rest

Blaine's dad passed away Thursday 22 January. He had type II diabetes and his health had been steadily declining, and we thought he would soon be forced to retire from his job.

Blaine is the eldest son and has many responsibilities, which he's handling with great care. His earnest desire is to take care of all his siblings and to foster peace between them. Though many emotions have been and will continue to surface over the next few days, we are at peace. Blaine's dad pulled away from the family years ago, and we mourned him then; this is sort of the last page in a book we've mostly read.

The funeral will be on Friday.